In our class we simplified the entire poem. The "goatfooted balloonMan" is
an allusion to Pan from Greek mythology. He was promiscuous and overtly
sexual, constantly trying to seduce the Nymphs. The little children
symbolize innocence, and Pan (balloonman) symbolizes perversion. The
balloonman (something fun that children would enjoy) is calling to them.
"Wee" could be the sound of him whistling or it could add to the irony that
the children are happy (i.e.: "Whee! Balloonman!") to follow him but
don't even realize that they're leaving childhood behind and becoming more
acquainted with uglier things (i.e.: perversion) in life.

Paraphrase: Loss of innocence.

Benny from Canada

Comment 65 of 836, added on March 2nd, 2006 at 10:59 PM.

the ballonman with goat feet refers to a faun or satyr

satyr from United States

Comment 64 of 836, added on March 1st, 2006 at 7:50 PM.

balloon is spelled b a l l o o n, not b a l o o n. there are two l's. i
looked this up and saw this poem elsewhere, and it is not cummings's
mistake, it is yours.

balloonman from United States

Comment 63 of 836, added on February 22nd, 2006 at 3:54 PM.

all u robert frost lovin mo fo's don't know poetry. Frost is the Paris
Hilton or the andrew lloyd weber of writing. too much hype, not enough
talent.

I agree. In "if i believe", a work from his highly-proclaimed "The Enormous
Room",his title is derived from the first line in his poem. As well, let it
be known that e e cummings is the shit. He's the Jackson Pollack and Jimi
Hendrix of the literary world!!! e e is my fav!

Like many of Emily Dickenson's poems, the title could simply be the first
line of the poem. If you look back, the first line of the poem is indeed,
"in Just-"... exactly the same way as the title is.

But that's my opinion.

Nikki from United States

Comment 59 of 836, added on February 14th, 2006 at 10:24 PM.

In my opinion, i think that cummings wrote this poem to retell the story of
Adam and Eve, except through a child's point of view. The balloon man is
the snake because at first he seems harmless but later he says that he is
whistling far and wee.

Dawnhour from United States

Comment 58 of 836, added on December 12th, 2005 at 4:49 PM.

have you ever just stopped and realized that maybe there is no "deep
meaning" that has to be interpreted?
maybe e.e. just wanted to write a poem about kids going to see the balloon
man. And when he says goat footed balloon man, maybe the balloon man just
has goat feet. Maybe not.

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